At 91, Sir David can still make a ratings splash
HE may be in his nineties, but Sir David Attenborough has once again proved that his blend of gentle charm and encyclopaedic knowledge remains the toast of the nation.
The fi rst episode of the second series of Blue Planet easily secured a ratings victory over Strictly Come Dancing in Sunday night’s viewing battle – pulling in more than half a million more viewers on average.
Blue Planet II – screened 16 years after the original – aired on BBC One at 8pm, directly after Strictly, and was watched by an average of 10.3 million people, according to the BBC. Blue Planet II’s peak audience fi gure was 10.6 million.
In a recent interview with Radio Times, the veteran wildlife presenter, aged 91, said his only regret during his career on TV was not having spent enough time with his children when they were young.
“If you have a child of six or eight and you miss three months of his or her life, it’s irreplaceable. You miss something. And I did,” he said.
Sunday night’s Hallowe’en- themed results instalment of Strictly attracted an average audience of 9.6 million and was watched by a peak of 10.4 million viewers, the BBC said. Sunday Brunch presenter and chef Simon Rimmer became the fi fth celebrity to leave the series.
The X Factor’s second live show on Sunday night was watched by an average of 4.6 million viewers with a peak of 5.5 million, ITV said.